HISTORIC PRESERVATION

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HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Chairman: Lucy Denton
Purpose
The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to
restore or rebuild and protect our historical sites and neighborhoods
for the people of Biloxi, past, present and future.
Katrina’s destruction of our historic sites and buildings was massive:
over 250 National Register
properties were destroyed
along the Coast counties, 1,300
were severely damaged and
another 4,000 received damage.
The National Trust for Historic
Places lists the Mississippi Gulf
Coast on the list of America’s
11 Most Endangered Historic
Places – a critical blow for an
area well known for its historic
preservation. In Biloxi, much of
the architectural heritage of the
PHOtO: JOHN FItzHUGH/SUN HERALd
city was washed away when so many historic homes and buildings
were destroyed. That unique Biloxi style will be lost forever unless ABOVE: tullis-tuldano
Manor, a 19th-century
those buildings that survived are restored and the Biloxi style is antebellum home in Biloxi
made of red-clay bricks from
replicated in future buildings. this region, was not grand as
some architecture from the
1950s, but its history reflects
Recommendations Biloxi culture. Hurricane
Camille badly damaged
the manor in 1969. during
Zoning restoration, the city returned
it and the slave quarters
43. Review and define the historical districts and strictly adhere to the zoning near it to their original
appearance, using them
and the Design Review Guidelines. as a museum and popular
site for weddings and local
gatherings. Hurricane Katrina,
showing no respect to tullis-
44. Strictly avoid granting any commercial zoning along the beachfront in tuledano, forced the Grand
Casino Biloxi barge on top of
areas already zoned as residential. the house site.
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Historical Preservation
45. Respond to the urgency of stabilizing and securing the city-owned damaged
historical landmarks/structures to stop further deterioration.
46. Consider these structures as priorities for preservation and restoration or
rebuilding: Beauvoir, Dantzler House, Tullis-Toledano Manor, Magnolia
Hotel, Old Brick House, Bond House, Biloxi Lighthouse, Lighthouse
Keeper’s House, Swetman House, US Coast Guard Station, Saenger Theater,
Brielmaier House, Creole Cottage, Biloxi City Hall, Biloxi Library, #3 Fire
Company.
47. Obtain right of first refusal for the City when privately owned historic
properties such as the Old Biloxi Library are up for sale.
48. Gain agreement to establish building codes, which will create unity of
design and maintain a Sense of place as recommended by the Governor’s
BELOW: the historic Saenger Commission.
theater in Biloxi.
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49. Keep the integrity of historical neighborhoods by placing all utilities
underground.
50. Avoid moving the Magnolia Hotel in order not to place it in harm’s way.
51. Attempt to acquire the properties at the
east and west corner of Porter and directly
behind the east corner of Porter to add to the
visitors center complex. If these
properties cannot be acquired,
structures built must adhere to the
AHRC Design Recommendations and
meet the City’s building codes.
52. Begin collecting Biloxi historic artifacts that
were salvaged from homes and
businesses for display in the Biloxi Museum.
53. Strongly enforce current signage codes and
strengthen these codes if necessary to
ensure signage is appropriate for historical
PHOtOS: SUN HERALd
areas.
ABOVE: the Old Brick House,
a mid-1800s house of locally
54. Beachfront property zoned residential must remain residential. made brick, is one of Biloxi's
most important structures
Commercial businesses must not be given variances in these because it represents the
period of the city's earliest
areas, especially businesses such as pawnshops and service substantial settlement. the
front porch of the Old Brick
stations. House collapsed during
Hurricane Katrina, but the
structure will be saved.
55. Place historical markers downtown to create a walking and driving tour.
56. Strongly encourage knowledge and enforcement of ordinances and laws
governing the preservation of existing structures and construction of
compatible infill in the City’s historic districts and around all historic
resources.
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57. Conduct a comprehensive update of the City’s six (6) locally-designated
historic districts to identify remaining contributing structures; review
the 154 locally designated landmarks and the additional new designations;
and reevaluate district boundaries for updating the Biloxi Land
Development Ordinance and the Architectural and Historical Review
Commission’s “Design Review Guidelines.” The City of Biloxi has
given preliminary approval for a 2006 CLG grant to update its
six locally designated historic districts and review its landmarks.
58. Support the concept of leaving
the Town Green as green space.
59. Ensure Beauvoir is preserved.
60. Buildings that were destroyed
should be reviewed and the
feasibility of building replicas
should be determined.
Trees, Green Space, and Gardens
61. Strongly encourage the preservation of the City’s green spaces and centurion
trees by enforcing tree ordinances. Restore the beauty of Beach
Boulevard by nurturing damaged oaks and replace where
appropriate.
62. Protect and preserve our centurion trees. The City must not allow these
trees to be replaced by saplings even when enticed by developers
who promise a fifty to one ratio of replanting.
63. Do not give variances to remove trees for development.
64. Support the development of parks, gardens and green space.
65. Support the development of the Mississippi Renaissance Gardens and
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Horticultural Center. A Mississippi Renaissance Garden and
Horticultural Center would provide a place for people to
reconnect with the beauty of their environment, commemorate
the Renaissance of the State of Mississippi and continually
renew the spirit of the people and the volunteers who are
making our Renaissance possible. The non-profit horticultural
and therapeutic garden for survivors and volunteers would
consist of various themed gardens, such as a Memorial Garden,
a Therapeutic Garden, a Children’s Plant and Play Garden, a
Sensory Garden, an Enabling Garden and a Community Garden,
along with classrooms available for community and educational
use. A gift shop would generate revenue and the area would
provide an attraction for local artists to exhibit nature-related
works. A detailed plan has been prepared by the committee.
Funding.
66. Use FEMA monies at 90% to restore or rebuild City-owned historical
buildings.
67. Use FEMA Emergency funds to shore up those buildings, which are in
danger of further deterioration.
68. Use funds from Historical Preservation Trusts and organizations to restore
City-owned historical buildings.
69. Seek foundation and corporate grants such as the Kellogg Foundation and
AT&T Corporate Responsibility program. An initial list of potential
grant-issuing entities was developed by the committee.
70. Fund any remaining historic preservation needs with local,
county or state appropriations.
Historical Preservation Action Plan
The Historical Preservation Committee recommends the City
embrace the following time frame for the protecting, restoring and
rebuilding, of our historical buildings.
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Stage One
This stage includes the shoring up of City owned damaged buildings
in danger of further deterioration; the development of conceptual
plans to create a Visitor’s Center and Biloxi Museum Complex at
the Danzler House site; and conducting of a study by experts to
determine what is needed to restore existing damaged buildings or
rebuild destroyed buildings.
Timeline: August, 2006 through December, 2006.
> Repair those City-owned buildings that are still standing.
> Secure additional property at the Lighthouse site to use for
Visitor’s Center and Museum Complex.
> Have an architect create a design for the Visitor’s Center and
Museum Complex including the rebuilding of the Dantzler
BELOW: the Biloxi Visitor's
Center. House.
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> Write grants and secure FEMA monies.
> Have a team of architects and construction engineers conduct a
study to determine what is needed to restore existing buildings
and rebuild demolished buildings.
Stage Two
This stage includes breaking ground for the Visitor’s Center and
Museum Complex and preparing for other restorations and rebuilds.
Timeline: January, 2007 through May, 2007.
> Begin Construction on the Visitor’s Center & Museum Complex.
> Have architect complete plans for restoring or rebuilding
remaining historical buildings.
> Determine overlapping time frames for completing the
construction on remaining historical buildings.
Stage Three
This stage includes the completion of the Visitor’s Center and
Museum Complex and beginning of other restorations and rebuilds.
Timeline: June, 2007 through June, 2008.
> Complete Visitor’s Center Complex.
> Begin construction on other historical sites.
Stage Four
This stage includes the completion of all restorations and rebuilds.
Timeline: June, 2008 through June, 2009
> Complete all restorations and rebuilds.
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LEFt: Grand Casino Biloxi
has grown in spurts since its
opening in January, 1994,
a growth reflected in one
of the largest gambling
barges among the Coast's
13 casinos in business at the
time of Katrina. the hurricane
swept the Grand, now part
of Harrah's Entertainment,
across U.S. 90. the Grand
plans to reopen on Casino
Row, this time, with the
gambling taking place in a
land hotel because the state,
post-Katrina, approved land-
based gambling.
PHOtO: dAVId PURdY/SUN HERALd